Kodak 305mm Portrait lens

[Kintokoba]

I hope someone can help me out here. I am lucky enough to own the lovely (imho ) 305mm Kodak portrait lens, the problem I have is using a cable release which only depresses the shutter and does not actually fire it.
My hope is that it is simply a thread clash and if the release woulkd screw in 4 turns deeper everything would be fine. I have not yet poked around in the shutter with anything to fire it.

I have finally initiated myself into LF shooting 4 sheets of FP4 using the 5 x 4 reducing back on my Deardorff V8, the shutter was hand fired and as a result 2 frames were unacceptably blurred.

I am going to need to resolve this somehow pretty soon, maybe I should consider tapping a new thread for the cable release if indeed this is root of the problem?

Cheers.

[vanman]

Hi Kintokoba,
Try a different cable release. There seems to be no standardisation. Some have "longer throws" than others. I have a few LUC shutters and only two of my many cable releases fire them. Look at some of the older second hand stuff if you can.
Best wishes,
Vanman.

[IanG]

Some cable releases have a much longer throw than others, so you need to do some comparisons. I think some of the Kaiser ones are better.

US shutters aren't as precision built as German Compur's & Prontor's, or Japanese Copal's, Ilex/Acme aren't to bad but need a longer throw, Betx need a heavy duty cable release,

Ian

[Kintokoba]

Thanks chaps, I'm sure its not the depth anymore as I've poked a thin micro screwdriver in to fire the shutter and it does take quite an effort to make it work, sadly when fired it remains stuck closed and needs manually releasing.

I dread the thought of sending away for a CLA as its my only working lens. Maybe if I sit down and repeatedly fire it and reset it will sort itself out?

Cheers.

[Kintokoba]

My last throw of the dice before a CLA is putting a drop of either meths or isopropyl alchohol on the end of the small screwdriver and operating the shutter immediately. Have you heard of this lubrication method?
Cheers.

[IanG]

Isopropyl alcohol resurrected two Ilex/Acme shutter for me where the slow speeds were sticking or running erratic & slow.

Meths isn't a good idea as sometimes aperture blades are paper based, and you could damage them also there's additives to make it less pleasant to drink, along with the colouring which can leave an oily film.

I think if you do a Google search you might find some tips on cleaning and re-lubricating, you haven't said what shutter it is. The faceplate comes of most US shutters with a couple of screws, allowing access without you actually needing to mess with the mechanism, that may help with cleaning, and if you're lucky a website may indicate where any lubrication is needed.

Ian

[Kintokoba]

Good points Ian, thanks, I'll hold off with the meths I've just got home with .
The shutter is a no 5 universal, I'll go and have a look at the front of it and see if there is the easy access you write of.

Many thanks.

[IanG]

PM sent with some details.

Ian